The Ascerian Frontier
by MidknightBlu
Summary: Darren Aventis, a shut-in highschool graduate from the Kalos Region, has been trying to find his break into the world, and feels like his life is slowly losing meaning until he's given the chance of a lifetime. Darren travels to the Asceros Region, and steps into an unfamiliar world.
1. Prologue: A Phone Call

When you get out of high school, you expect life to just fall into place. That's the way everyone here in the city had made it seem. So when I graduated, I had expected something to just fall into my lap, something like a job at a small corner restaurant around town, or a small scholarship to a local university. I'd applied for a few, but never heard anything back from anyone.

I wasn't the most outgoing student, or person in general, just an average guy in a big city. My grades in school were mostly C's and B's, sometimes a D, but never A's or F's. My personality was passive enough to not make any enemies, but rarely enough to hold a full conversation. I guess you could say I was always more of an observer than a participator. I could understand why they'd never bothered choosing to accept or hire me.

A good amount of time went by, still applying online occasionally, but not frequently. I spent most of my days sleeping until noon, and playing video games until the crack of dawn, slowly becoming somewhat nocturnal. It was fine for the first couple weeks, but after three months, it started to get to me.

I lived with my family still, but they were rarely home. Dad had a cozy job that took care of us all, and Mom worked as his accountant just to get out of the house, and my older sister, Vinn, had recently taken a new job out in the Asceros Region at the region's Pokémon Breeding Ranch. With my conflicting "schedule", I rarely saw or talked to my parents. It was beginning to be lonely, but then again, I'd never been that close with them. They weren't bad parents by any means, they'd just become much more devoted to their work now that their two kids were older and could take care of themselves.

Vinn and I, however, had always been close. She could always get me to smile and break out of my shell. We texted fairly frequently, our conversations mostly being about her. I didn't mind; if anything, it helped. She'd tell me all about her adventures with pokémon and how much she was learning. Living in the heart of the city, we rarely had contact with the amazing creatures. Everyone else seemed to take them for granted, looking past their beauty and wonder.

After hearing so much from Vinn about her new life, I practically started living through her stories. Little did I know then, she'd been working on helping me break into this new world she'd discovered.

I sat at my desk, staring into the bright screen of my laptop as I browsed online forums, the whirring of the machine's fan and the clicking of the mouse and keys being the only sound that filled the dark room. It was rather late, but still very early in the night by my nocturnal standards. Mom and Dad had already gone to bed hours ago. I sighed as I glanced at the digital clock in the corner of the screen. I should really try to get to sleep before the sun starts coming up in the next few hours.

My phone, which was resting next to the wireless mouse to my right, lit up and buzzed rhythmically. I gave it a brief glance and read "Vinn" at the top of smooth glass, raising an eyebrow at the oddity. She never calls, we always text, it was just easier. I reached over and grasped the small object in my head, sliding my thumb over the unlock and raising the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked quietly. Even though my parents were on a whole other floor, I still felt the need to keep the reverence of near silence.

"Oh good, you're up!" Vinn's replied happily. "I have no idea how you stay up this late every night, I'm dead tired after today."

"Long day at the Ranch?" I asked her, taking my phone into my left hand and again beginning to scroll through the forums on the laptop in front of me.

"No, actually. Which is why I'm calling you tonight instead of a text," she said, clearly implying something. "Take a guess where I am."

"On a flight back here because you lost your job?" I smirked. Even if she couldn't see it, she could definitely hear it in my response.

"Ha-ha," Vinn forced a sarcastic laugh. "Seriously, guess!"

I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair, looking up towards the black ceiling of my room. "I dunno, still in Asceros? You made it sound like you're not at the Ranch, so I'm guessing you're up at Lake Astraeus, or down in Lindum City."

"Neither actually," she answered. "I'm on the complete other side of the island, up on the side of Mount Luceria."

I sat up and pulled up the map of the Asceros Region I had saved to my laptop. The Asceros Region had relatively simple geography. It was made up of two islands, one being very large, Tarrin Island, and another, much smaller island, Azmarin Island.

On the main island of Asceros, it was made up of a giant mountain in the middle of the region, Mount Luceria, and roughly thirty miles north of that, Lake Astraeus. The whole region was roughly five hundred miles from north to south, and three hundred miles from east to west. Looking at where the Ranch was on the northeastern side of Tarrin Island, it was about two hundred miles away from the location Vinn was describing now.

"What're you doing there? Assuming you were at the Ranch this morning, you'd have to go all the way around the mountain, and even then, it'd take you almost six or seven hours by driving."

She gave a small laugh, knowing she'd gotten my attention. "And what if I didn't drive?"

I paused. "You walked? That's a crazy hike, but not possible since we texted just last night and you were at the Ranch."

"Meaning…?" Vinn teased.

I clicked my tongue in slight frustration as I realized what she was hinting at. "No way in hell did you fly there."

"It's okay to be jealous," she teased again. "It took a few hours, but flying on the back of an Altaria has got to be one of the coolest ways to travel."

"I don't believe you," I said, calling her bluff. "You're probably just in bed back at your Ranch."

"What if you came out here and I showed you? Maybe go on a ride of your own?" She taunted. She was definitely still my older sister, despite not seeing her for a few months.

I gave a half hearted laugh. "No money, remember? Flights out of here aren't exactly cheap, and I barely have enough money to afford going out to get fast food once a week."

"Darren, I'm being serious," Vinn said, now totally sincere. "I'm on the side of this mountain because I had to deliver an egg to the Asceros Research Station. I'm staying the night here now. I know how much a small fish you are in that ocean of a city, I was like you, too..." She sighed and went quiet for a moment. "I think I found a way to get you out here, with me. The new professor out here, he needs an assistant with a project. The Ranch works pretty closely with their facility, so they asked us today if we had any recommendations for the position. Which is why I called you."

It felt like time froze for a brief minute. Everything I'd felt after this conversation with Vinn washed away, leaving me feeling numb. I didn't know what to feel. I pictured myself in place of her in all the stories she'd shared with me of her new adventures. Meeting all sorts of people and pokémon. She was the happiest she'd ever been, from what I understood.

I suddenly felt small, smaller than I'd ever possibly felt before, realizing the doors to the world had been opened for me, if only slightly. I was scared, yet felt a feeling of empowerment fill my chest, and my heart skipped a beat or two.

"Dare? What do you think?" Vinn asked, her uncertain voice bringing time to its normal flow again. I shook myself out of my thoughts and breathed in deeply.

"I honestly don't know. I've been waiting for an opportunity like this for months, hell, even years. But now that it might actually be here...I'm not sure what to think," I answered her with honesty.

She gave a small laugh. "You have no idea. I was the exact same when I got the job offer for the Ranch." She paused. "You wouldn't be alone out here, though. Not like I was. Have been." Her voice practically gave away how lonely she'd been. It made me realize she wasn't just doing this for me. My sister wanted me out there for herself, too.

I breathed deeply again, collecting my thoughts, and we were quiet for a few moments. "When would I need to be out there?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Now it was her turn to take a deep breath. "Two days, Tuesday morning. You'd fly into Lindum City, and they're willing to cover everything. No travel expense. If you get out here and decide you don't want the job, you're free to stay here with me at the Ranch, or go back home. I've made sure you'd be taken care of." She sounded completely serious about this.

"I'll do it." I told her quickly. "It'll at least mean we get to see each other for a few days if I don't take the job."

I could hear her sigh in relief before inhaling excitedly. "You have literally nothing to worry about, I'll tell them first thing in the morning, and I'll make sure I'm there when you get to Lindum."

"Do you know anything else about what I'd be doing for them?"

"Not really, they said they couldn't tell me much since I'm not the one actually applying for the position."

"Fair enough," I said, settling on that being as much information as I'd get for the moment until I actually got there.

"Hey, I know there's probably a lot more we could talk about, especially with all this going on, but I need to be up and ready to fly back to the Ranch in the morning. I need to get some sleep if I don't want to fall off Altaria while flying over the mountain." Vinn said, yawning.

"Sounds good, and please don't actually fall off. I don't think I'll be able to do this without you." I teased.

"Get some rest. Tuesday's going to come way faster than you think." She said, sounded more excited than I did. "Keep your phone on you, we'll talk tomorrow."

We said our goodnights and closed my laptop and climbed into bed, laying down and staring up again at the pitch black ceiling. Even with all the new thoughts, curiosities and wonders swimming in my head, I somehow managed to find sleep easy for once, meaning I had found peace in my decision. A new chapter of my life was beginning.


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to Asceros

The next day went by ridiculously slow. Mostly I just packed a few essential items like clothes and some bathroom items. I'd never been the most objective person, so I didn't feel the need to take my entire room with me. If anything, I could have Mom ship me some extra stuff if I ended up needing it. Luckily, her and Dad were completely fine with me moving out and heading to Asceros with Vinn. If anything, they were actually encouraging me to take this leap.

Finally, the morning arrived. Vinn had sent me an email with the ticket and flight information, and I had Mom drop me off at the airport on her way to work. We said goodbye and hugged one last time, but that was pretty much the extent of it. Like I said, they weren't the worst parents, they just weren't the most hands-on.

I'd never traveled alone before, but I wasn't exactly nervous. Not yet, at least. If anything, I was just stressed out, since I was just in a rush to get through the whole checking in process at the airport. I'd never really liked airports much. Too loud, too crowded, and way too much of a hassle.

After what felt like a lifetime of going through security and bag checks, I'd finally made my way to the terminal my flight would be taking off from. I sat down in one of the open chairs facing windows, and pulled my phone and some earbuds out. I still had roughly twenty minutes before we left, and thought it'd be a good time to learn about some of the native pokémon wildlife in the Asceros Region.

From what I understood, the small island, Azmarin Island, was really just a dormant volcano. Several rock, ground and fire-type pokémon could be found there, as well as a small handful of steel, fighting and dragon-types. There was a small port town at the southern base of the volcano, called Cragtide. The town was split in half, the other half being across the water on Tarrin Island, and they ran a ferry service so people could travel from one island to the other.

Supposedly, the volcano had erupted several hundreds of years before anyone was even settled on Azmarin Island, but the current residents of the island had several precautions in case it erupted again. Inside the volcano, they also housed the region's Pokémon League.

Of course, being a region made up of two islands, there was sure to be thousands of water pokémon teeming in the ocean surrounding the region, as well as rivers that coursed through Tarrin Island like little veins, not to mention Lake Astraeus. The rest of the island was made of up forests, plains, beaches, and a small northern desert.

As I browsed the internet for more information on Lake Astraeus and Mount Luceria, my eyes caught the titles of a few forum posts claiming there were strange sightings and incidents happening around the two locations. Hikers disappearing while they climbed Mount Luceria, then turning up months or years later, still alive and not able to recall ever disappearing, much less even being aware of how much time had passed. It sounded like a bunch of urban legends, so I took it with a grain of salt and kept browsing.

I decided to look up Lindum City next, the capital of Asceros, and also where I would be flying into. Supposedly, unlike here in Lumiose City, wild pokémon weren't out of the ordinary there, despite it being a much larger and busier city than Lumiose.

"Now boarding Flight 592 for Lindum City in the Asceros Region," a woman's voice rung overhead through the terminal intercoms. I quickly slung my carryon backpack over my shoulder and removed my earbuds, draping them over my neck so I could use them again once I'd found my seat aboard the plane.

I made my way through the gate and final boarding check, and made my way through the semi-crowded vehicle until I found my seat. Fortunately, I had gotten a pretty close window seat near the front. I settled in, placing my backpack on the floor in front of me between my legs and again inserted my earbuds before strapping myself in.

It wasn't too long before we took off, and the flight lasted around six hours. I spent most of my time watching a movie, taking a nap, then watching another movie as I ate lunch. As the last movie finished and we began our descent beneath the clouds, I peered out the window to take a look at Asceros from an in-person aerial view.

Mount Luceria was massive, much larger than what pictures had done justice of that I'd looked at. The summit was covered in snow, still a few hundred feet from scraping the bottom of the cloudline. Dense forests surrounded the base of the mountain, going partway up the sides. The beautiful sight left me in a grandiose stupor, and all I could do was smile to myself.

The landing was smooth, and getting off the plane was as slow as I remember flights being. Easily my least favorite part about flying was how long the procedure took to get everyone off the plane. I received a text from Vinn letting me know she was at the bag claim area. I was excited to see her again, and more importantly, see the world she wanted to share with me.

As I rode the escalator down to the bag claim area, my eyes scanned the crowd, looking for the familiar face of my older sister. Our eyes met and we weaved our way through the crowd towards one another. When we reached each other, she threw her arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace as she rested her head on my shoulder. From the way she hugged me, I could tell how lonely she'd been out here without family. I smiled to myself and hugged her back, for a moment before we released each other.

"Have you gotten taller?" Vinn asked with a smile, having to talk over the many conversations around us. "We were the same height last time I visited Kalos."

"Nah, you've just gotten shorter," I joked as we began walking towards the machine spitting out suitcases onto a conveyor belt. "What's the plan?"

"Well, we have a bit of a ride ahead of us, we need to get you to the Asceros Research Station by tonight, but I think we'll get there by the time the sun sets," Vinn explained. I was able to quickly find my luggage and we made our way to the parking garage.

"This is it," she said as she stopped next to a yellow, open-cover jeep. She tossed one of my bags she was carrying into the back, climbing into the driver's seat and turning the key in the ignition. The vehicle grumbled to life, giving a low growl.

"Wait, you're driving? No one's picking us up?" I asked, surprised. Back in Lumiose City, and Kalos in general, cars were rare. So, naturally, people who could _drive_ were rare. Everything was close enough in the city that you could just rollerblade to your destination, or take some of the public transportation like a taxi service or bus.

Vinn rolled her eyes. "Relax, I learned how to drive out here, it's easy. Now get in, you have important people waiting for you." She leaned over and popped the door open for me.

I was nervous, but I didn't have much of a choice. I trusted my sister, but I'd flown in planes more than I'd ridden in cars, and I knew she was the same way. Sighing, I threw the bag I was carrying, along with my backpack, into the backseat where she'd stowed the other bag, and climbed into the passenger seat next to her, closing the door behind me.

"Now, I hope you're good with actual road maps," she said as she craned her neck, looking behind the car as she backed out of the parking space. "Because you're going to be our navigator. The professor you'll be working for specifically requested you navigate us there, actually."

"What? What do you mean he requested I navigate us there?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Also, I didn't say I'd accept the job yet, so who knows if I'll actually be working for them."

Vinn shrugged as we began driving. "Not sure, he just said it was important. Just reading into things a little, it's clear he wants you to be able to be proficient with reading a map. Either way, I've got my eyes on the road, so you don't have much of a choice here. Open up that glovebox, you'll find a more detailed map of Asceros."

I did as I was told and popped open the compartment in front of me, retrieving a folded map and closing the small storage. I unfolded the map and studied it for a minute as we began heading towards further away from Lindum City, the large metal and glass buildings shrinking in the distance. The airport was a small ways from the city, naturally, so there'd be enough space for planes taking off and landing.

The map was very simple, actually, so I'm not sure why it was pertinent I know how to read it. The roads were very straightforward and simplistic, making sense geographically. There was really only one highway connecting each city or town connected to the next closest major location. Given how many rivers there were in Asceros, it looked like the roads crossed over them as rarely as they could, so fewer bridges would have been needed.

I did a quick count of how many towns and cities were marked on the map. I showed eight smaller towns, and four larger cities, Lindum being the closest as we headed away from the sprawling capital city. The Ranch Vinn worked at was marked on the map, as well as what I assumed to be the Asceros Research Station, where we were headed. My eyes traced along the road on the map as I determined which route would be the fastest to get there.

There was a road that went north, passing through a town partway up Mount Luceria, and then back down, meeting directly with the Research Station. I assumed this was the fastest way to get there by car, but I still wanted to double check with Vinn. If it wasn't the only other option was to take the road going east towards the ocean, pass through a bay town called Havenport, and then loop back west toward Mount Luceria and the Station.

"This road going through Luceria Village," I started as I studied the map further. "Do we pass through it, or go towards Havenport?"

"Going through Luceria Village is faster, although the road is unpaved halfway up there. It's one of the oldest towns here in Asceros, along with Astraeus Village, up by the Lake," Vinn answered, talking over the wind blowing through the open-roofed jeep as we drove along the highway. "Although, if you're wanting a smoother drive with a fully paved road, we could go through Havenport. Cutest little seaside town I've ever seen, with great shopping and restaurants. We could stop there for dinner before finishing the last leg of the drive."

"You seem to want to go to Havenport, so we can do that," I said. "Where'd you get the car, anyways? Is it yours?"

She shook her head, her medium length sunkissed brown hair blowing in the wind. "The Ranch has a few of these jeeps for the employees to use, actually. Mainly for when we need to make deliveries, but the Ranch is big enough we use them to get around there, too. They let me borrow this one while I'm on leave to show you around Asceros." I nodded, and we were quiet for a minute as we drove along the highway.

"Hey," I said, a little quieter, but still enough she could hear me over the wind. "Thanks for this. Again."

"Don't worry about it. Like I said, I know what it's like growing up there in Lumiose, you weren't ever really alone on that. I did it first, you know?" Vinn smiled fondly as she kept her determined eyes on the road. "Best way for you to actually grow up and learn to become an adult is getting out on your own, away from family."

"You're out here, though," I brought up. She gave a slight nod at my comment.

"Yes, but I'm not going to baby you. Whatever you choose to do out here, whether it be taking this job for the professor, or coming over to the Ranch with me, you'll be expected to work hard and earn your place."

Her words were honest, and I knew the importance behind them, I just hoped I was a better worker than I was a student. I'd never held a job before.

"You'll be fine out here, though, trust me. You're tougher than you think," she continued. "I have a feeling you'll find out who you really here. I know I did."

I looked at her, studying her expression. It was confident. I admired her. Vinn wasn't just a confident person. At this very moment, she was confident in _me_. She had always been my biggest supporter, and this chance she had given me meant more than she might have understood. I smiled as I looked back towards the road.

We continued driving for a few more hours, talking about all sorts of things. I learned what she really did at the Ranch was care for the pokémon eggs getting ready to hatch. From the way she talked about it, eggs seemed to take as much care as a the newborn pokémon that hatched from them.

We reached Havenport about two and half hours later, arriving a little late in the afternoon, stopping first to top off the jeep with gas and getting some great seafood and a little homey restaurant on the wharf right over the water. The restaurant was a little pricey, so I was surprised Vinn was okay going there when I had no money, but she explained the Research Station was covering all expenses in travel _and_ food.

After dinner, there was still some extra time to kill, and Vinn wanted to go window shop at some of the store. I wasn't horribly interested in it, but she said she rarely got to come out here since it was the Ranch was on the complete opposite side of Mount Luceria, so I decided to let her have her fun since she'd done so much more for me already.

Getting back on the road, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous as Vinn started driving in the direction towards where the Research Station was marked on the map. I began thinking about what job I was possibly getting into.

Was I going to be studying tiny bacteria under a microscope, crammed every day into a lab wearing a labcoat? Or this professor's assistant, sitting at a computer day in and day out, writing about the achievements of someone greater than me? What about becoming a lab rat, testing new foods for pokémon, or one of those shady deals where you get paid for testing out a bunch of new drugs and medicines?

I must've been clearly showing signs of my uneasiness because Vinn immediately started pulling the car over saying it looked like I was going to throw up.

I shook myself out of it and apologized. "I'm just nervous I guess… Did they really not give you any details about the job?"

Vinn shook her own head this time as she continued driving up the mountain. "The only things they told me was that they were looking for someone who had talented observatory skills and was good with pokémon."

"I haven't even had any real hands-on experience with pokémon, though," I told her.

"Neither had I, yet here I am working at a breeding ranch of all places," she countered. "You may not have much experience with them, but I know you better than anyone, and I know you'd treat pokémon just as well as you would a fellow person. Not to mention your aggressively passive nature when it comes to socializing means you're extremely observant."

I gave a small laugh. "Not sure if I should be thanking you for that comment or annoyed."

"You can be annoyed if you want, but you know it's only the truth," Vinn said with a little mocking tune, happy with the reaction she'd evoked from me.

We continued driving for about another hour. I kept having to yawn to pop my ears since we continually rose in altitude as we followed the winding road up the side of Mount Luceria. The trees went higher up the mountain than I had originally thought. Occasionally a wild pokémon dashed out from the treeline in front of the car before disappearing to the other side. Some I knew, like some of the common Starly or Pidgey, but there were a few I didn't recognize. One looked like a large male deer with his horns sprouting a magnificent greenery, which Vinn told me was a Sawsbuck.

As the sky started turning from it's baby blue to a deeper pink, I knew the sun must be setting on the other side of the mountain. I could begin seeing a fairly large, modern styled building through the trees. The main structure had several large windows, allowing you to see the well-lit interior fairly easily, and the whole thing was supported by large metal beams that dug into the side of the mountain. That must be the Research Station, and we'd be arriving right as the sun was setting, like Vinn had predicted.

The paved road emptied into a gravel parking lot outside the building, and I could see another another road on the other end of the parking lot headed west, although this road was dirt and unpaved. That road must lead to Luceria Village.

The jeep came to a stop and sputtered as Vinn removed the keys from the ignition. I stepped out of the yellow vehicle, the gravel crunching beneath my shoes as I moved to pull my bags out from the back seat. The evening air had a slight chill due to the higher elevation, and I wouldn't have minded a light jacket or sweater. As I was waiting for Vinn to come around the car, I heard a voice from behind me in the direction of the Research Station.

"Well it's about time you showed up!" I turned around to see who was addressing us. There was a man standing at the entrance to the building, holding a large glass door open with his foot. He was dressed fairly normally, wearing a long sleeve v-neck and loose sweats. He had a head of short light brown hair that was slightly disheveled, and some stubble like the man hadn't shaved for a few days.

"Excuse you, we're right on time," Vinn retorted with a smirk. "You look comfy, are you sure you're working in there?"

"Hey, I can't work unless I'm _completely_ comfortable. You ranchies wouldn't understand," he fired back. Ranchies? Must be some rivalry between the Ranch workers and...whoever these people in the Research Station were. Either way, the banter seemed playful enough to not take it too seriously. "You must be Darren Aventis. I've heard a lot about you." He gave a smile as he casual point towards me. "I'm Professor Scott Hawthorn, but you can just call me Hawthorn."

"Sorry, I should've probably introduced myself by now," I said, walking up to the professor and offering my spare hand for him to shake. He looked at it as if it were a foreign object, then laughed.

"Kid, not sure what you've been told about Asceros, but we're much more laid back out here than what you're probably used to Kalos, especially living in Lumiose City," Hawthorn continued laughing. I awkwardly, and slowly, pulled my hand back, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Cut it out, Scott, I haven't briefed him on any of that yet," Vinn said, giving a small laugh of her own as she walked up and clapped the professor on the shoulder. I felt like I did back during my highschool days, always slightly out of place. Vinn turned towards me, standing next to the man. "Equivalent of a handshake out here isn't quite what you'd expect," she said as she took her hand and forming a fist, raising it so my attention was focused on that, and bumped her fist against Hawthorn's. "Got it?"

I nodded slowly, trying to grasp the concept of how relaxed the greeting was compared to a handshake. I looked at my own hand again, clenching it into a fist like Vinn had demonstrated and awkwardly bumped it against Hawthorn's like she had. The awkward exchange caused Vinn to give another small laugh. "We'll work on it, don't worry," Professor Hawthorn said with a casual smile. As short of a time I'd known the man, I could tell he was genuine at least. "Shall we head inside so you can unload?" He stepped to the side, allowing us entry to the facility while still holding the glass door open.

"I'd appreciate that," I answered as I walked past him into the Research Station, realizing my arm had begun getting a little sore from continuously holding my bag.

For something that was called the Asceros Research Station, the interior didn't look like I might've expected. One might've thought it would be a top secret lab with all sorts of experiments going on inside.

Rather, the place was decorated fully and looked like an extraordinarily expensive home. The floor was hardwood, but was covered in most areas with soft carpet rugs. The entryway itself was impressive, with the entire right wall being one massive window, giving the place a very open-air feel. To my left, there was a stairway cut into the wall, then curved to the right up to a second level, a beautiful and relaxing water feature cascaded down stones digging into the wall the stairway left. All the other walls were painted a clean white.

"Not quite what you were expecting?" Hawthorn asked as he and Vinn passed by me. I hadn't realized I stopped moving to admire the place. I quickly caught up, though, as they were walking at a relaxed pace.

"You guys work here?" I asked, looking around as we passed by a home kitchen and dining area, which was connected to a large living room with a few couches surrounding a coffee table. There was a giant flat screen TV mounted to the wall above a nice fireplace, and the ceiling had been cut out to reveal the open hallway of the second floor above us. This place must've cost more than a few pokédollars to build.

"Technically, we work upstairs on the second floor. The first floor is the living quarters, where we relax, eat and sleep," Hawthorn explained. "We're not a bunch of stuffy scientists here. Well, not usually. It's basically just like working from home."

I nodded to myself, taking in my surroundings still. Very few houses in Kalos were this nice, and these people actually _worked_ here.

We turned left as we reached the corner of the building, the glass walled hallway still continuing. The Research Station was a large rectangle, and the narrower side we were now walking along faced northeast. We passed by another glass door, this one opening up out to a balcony hanging over the downward slope of the mountain, and enough trees had been cleared so there was a clear view over of the ocean over the tops of the trees.

We came to a stop near the middle of this new hallway, and I noticed several doors along the wall to our left. There were a few open, but most were closed. Hawthorn turned the handle on the one in front of him and pushed the door open.

"This is where you'll be staying for the night, and depending on if you decide to work for us, will always have a place to lay your head," Hawthorn said with a smile, as he motioned for me to check the room out. I obliged and stepped inside.

Instead of the hardwood, the floor was carpeted with the same style of carpet of rugs that was used in the rest of the building. I set my bags down and turned on the light using a digital display on the wall next to the door, the lights coming on gradually, like the opposite of them dimming. The room wasn't large, but it wasn't small either. There was a queen sized bed against the wall opposite from the door, and I noticed another display for controlling the lights and nightstand next to each side of the bed.

There was a nice desk at the wall to my left, as well as bunch of empty shelving. On the opposite wall to my right, there was a full walk-in closet and a bathroom next to that. I would really get to live here?

I turned towards Hawthorn and Vinn, who were both smiling confidently. "Whatcha think?" Vinn said, her smile opened a little, showing her teeth.

"This place is incredible, and I haven't even seen half of it," I said. I still couldn't believe how nice of a place this was. "Where do I sign?"

Hawthorn laughed as he came into the room with me, taking a seat on the bed, Vinn following and taking a seat on the desk. "I'm interested in hearing what he'd be doing, too, if that's okay," she said.

Hawthorn nodded. "That's fine, it's nothing secret, I just wanted Darren here before we released too much information," he said as he took a deep breath, settling in and motioning towards me. "You might want to take a seat, too." I did as I was told and took the chair at the desk next to Vinn.

"So, Darren, Vinn says you're good with observation. Judging by the way you took in every detail on the short trip to your room, I'd say she's correct. That's good," Hawthorn noted.

"Honestly, it was hard _not_ to," I commented.

The man gave a warm laugh. He laughed a lot, come to think of it. "True, I was the same way when I arrived here, but I think you've got what we're looking for," he said. "What color were the curtains as we came in?"

I paused for a moment, confused. "Curtains?"

Hawthorn nodded. "That's right, what color were the curtains?" Vinn looked troubled, trying to recall herself.

"Did I miss that? There weren't any curtains, at least from what I saw…" I said, confused by what he was asking, but sure of myself when I said there weren't any curtains.

The man smiled at me. "That's what I'm talking about. You not only memorize details of things that are present, but also details of things that _aren't_ there," he explained. "So your observation skills are good."

"Thanks? I think," I said nervously.

"Confidence could use some work, but that'll just come with time. Don't feel so standoffish, kid, you'll stick out like a sore thumb here in Asceros," Hawthorn commented. His honest words might've offended the right people, but I could tell he had good intentions with them. "Next, what do you think of pokémon? Are they tools? Companions? Are they meant to be tamed, or are they meant to be wild and free?" He looked directly into my eyes, his own deep green eyes unsettling me a bit.

"Well," I started, swallowing nervously. "I don't have really any experience with them, other than seeing other trainers with their pokémon around Lumiose, or seeing them battle occasionally on TV."

Hawthorn shook his head. "That's fine, I don't really care about past experiences with pokémon, just what you _think_ of them."

I looked at the floor for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts and figuring out how to put them into words. I looked back up at him, this time being the one to make eye contact. "I think they're amazing. I think most people take them for granted. Since I've rarely had any chances to see them up close, I think they're the most amazing things in our daily lives."

"Keep going," Hawthorn encouraged, showing the slightest hint of a smile. Vinn, however, was beaming already.

"They're not tools, they can be amazing partners, each with their own personality like you and me, but that's not to say they can't use their _powers_ as tools. The pokémon themselves aren't tools, though," I said. "As for being free, I think every pokémon has the right to be free. However if you form a genuine bond with a pokémon and they decide they want to be with you, I think it's entirely up to the pokémon at that point."

Hawthorn nodded, closing his eyes and smiling. "I'm impressed," he said, opening his eyes and making eye contact again. "I think you're perfect for the job, so you pass the interview. Now, want to know what you'd actually be doing?"

I nodded, and Vinn smiled at me, seeing the determination in my eyes as I felt myself coming out of my shell I'd gotten used to over the last several years.

"Well, the title you'd hold is Field Research Specialist. You'd be free to travel all over Asceros as you please, except for when we need you somewhere in particular. You'd be monitoring the pokémon wildlife all over, making sure the environment is doing okay, and basically be what other regions have as a Ranger," Hawthorn explained. "Your job is slightly more flexible, though. Less handling natural disasters and the like, but rather more observing and reporting. Make sense?"

"I think so. So would I just come back here every night, or what?" I asked.

Hawthorn shrugged. "It'd be up to you, honestly. I doubt you'll make it back here every night, just because of how big the island is, so you'll likely have to stay in other towns or camp occasionally. We'd give you all the gear you needed to camp, but staying in hotels or similar places we can only partially cover, and the rest will be out of your own pocket," he said. "However, anytime you like, the Research Station's doors will always be open to you, no charge. The Ascerian government funds the upkeep of this place, so there's no rent or utility bills. Pay starts at eighty-thousand a year."

Vinn slammed her hand on the table and looked at me, eyes wide. "I swear, if you don't take this job, I will literally send your ass right back home and take it myself," she said.

I laughed. "Like hell you will," I said, looking at Professor Hawthorn as I smiled. "When do I start?"

* * *

 **Afternotes:** I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of The Ascerian Frontier. First off, if you have any feedback, compliments, criticism, or anything you'd like to tell me, please consider leaving a review. Those will really serve as the best source of motivation to continue writing this. I'm putting everything I have into this story and reviews will only further increase my desire to improve this. :)

As you can likely tell, my style of writing can be very slow at times and I spend a lot of time working on describing some of the smallest details. I understand this might not be everyone's preferred style to read, but I hope I could successfully paint the world of Asceros in the head of at least one reader.

As a little bit of insight, I've actually created a general map of the Asceros anyone is interested, I may find a way to put it somewhere so it gives a clearer picture on where exactly places are located as Darren explores more and more of the region. Along with that possible visual reference, I may add a character and location glossary as an additional bonus "chapter".

If either of those options interest you, please let me know via a PM or review, and I'd happily find a way to work with you. :)

Thanks again for giving this a read, guys. I'll likely be updating this story once a week or every two weeks. See you all then!


	3. Glossary of Names and Locations

**_THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS, CAREFUL READING IF YOU HAVE NOT CAUGHT UP YET WITH THE LATEST CHAPTER._**

*I will continue adding onto this, adding new terms as well as adding to/changing descriptions as the story progresses more.

* * *

 **CHARACTERS**

 _ **Darren Aventis** : _Darren is a nineteen-year-old high school graduate who's lived his entire life in Lumiose City in the Kalos Region. He has almost no experience with pokémon, and has always been a very quiet person. This has led to him being a little short in confidence, but also making him very observant of others and his surroundings.

 _ **Professor Scott Hawthorn** : _Professor Hawthorn, preferring to just go by his last name of "Hawthorn", is the Asceros Region's pokémon professor. He's a thirty-four-year-old local, who previously lived in Havenport before the Research Station was built. He's extroardinarily laid back, even compared to the rest of the region's casual normalcy. Despite this, he takes his work seriously and always has the best intentions.

 _ **Vinnie (Vinn) Aventis** : _Vinn is Darren's older sister, putting her twenty-five-year-old. She had always been a bit of a tomboy, and carries herself confidently on the outside, really only showing her insecurities to her younger brother. Vinn has always looked out for Darren the best she could, having a healthy mix of banter and deep conversations, leading to tight bond between the two. She has lived in Asceros for the last three years, working at the region's Breeding Ranch where she watches over the pokémon eggs in incubation.

 **LOCATIONS**

 _ **Asceros** : _The Asceros Region is made up of two islands, one large and one small. The main island is called Tarrin Island, and the smaller is called Azmarin Island, and both islands have a temperate climate, while most tourists originally expect Asceros to be more tropical like the Alolan Islands. The entire region is about five hundred miles wide and three hundred miles long, while the peak of Mount Luceria is a little under two and a half miles, or thirteen thousand feet, in height. At the moment, Asceros Region contains no new pokémon species.

 _ **Asceros Research Station** : _Often referred to as simply the Research Station, this place serves as the headquarters for some of the best scientific minds in Asceros. Resting on the eastern side of Mount Luceria, the building feels almost more like an isolated modern mansion than a government funded research lab. The first floor is full of bedrooms for the employees and any visitors, a decently sized kitchen, dining area, living room, and a gym with a small pool. The second floor is the work floor, with several labs filled with scientific equipment.

 _ **Astraeus Village** : _One of the two oldest villages in Asceros, Luceria Village being the other, however Astraeus Village is measured to be oldest. The village sits at the edge of Lake Astraeus, and visitors almost feel cut off from the rest of the world while in the village, gaining a sense of reverence for the spiritual beliefs surrounding Lake Astraeus. The people who live in Astraeus Village seem to believe themselves to be the protectors of the Lake.

 _ **Azmarin Island** : _The smaller island in the northwest corner of the region. The island is around thirty-five miles wide, eighty miles long, and the summit of Mount Azmarin sitting almost exactly a mile above sea level. Mount Azmarin is a dormant volcano, the last eruption being estimated to happen several hundred years before humans had settled in the Asceros Region. Azmarin Island has half of Cragtide Town sitting at the base of the mountain, with the other half sitting at the opposite coast of Tarrin Island, where the locals run a ferry service for anyone wishing to travel between the two islands. The Asceros Pokémon League also rests inside the dormant volcano.

 _ **Cragtide Town** : _This town is split in two, half of the town sitting on the coast of Azmarin Island, and the other half on the coast of Tarrin Island, with about twelves miles of ocean separating the halves. There's a ferry service run by the locals of the town so people may travel freely from island to island with ease.

 _ **Havenport** : _A small port town, hence the name, nestled in one of the western bays of Tarrin Island. It's become one of the main locations for tourists, attracted to the many seaside shopping outlets and some of the best restaurants. Beach houses are a common sight here, lining the hills surrounding the town.

 _ **Lake Astraeus** : _A massive lake sitting at about a mile and a half above sea level, around eight thousand feet. The lake is about seventy-five miles wide, fifty miles long, and the maximum depth hitting two miles deep. This means the deepest part of the lake drops below sea level, and is roughly a third as deep as the ocean. It is believed to have spiritual connections to Mount Luceria, myths and legends surrounding the large body of water.

 ** _Lindum City_** _:_ This massive bustling metropolis is the largest city in Asceros, and also the capital. It's here where most people enter Asceros, as it's where the airport is. The city is located to the far south of Tarrin Island.

 _ **Luceria Village**_ _:_ The second oldest village in Asceros, this town sits high on the southern slope of Mount Luceria. The town feels very similar to that of Astraeus Village, with the sense of reverence. The people that live here believe Mount Luceria was once the home to legendary pokémon which watched over Asceros. There's no proof of this, however, and the beliefs are based solely on the myths and legends surrounding the mountain. These locals know Mount Luceria best, and serve as guides for anyone wishing to attempt a climb to the summit.

 _ **Mount Luceria** : _This mountain is shrouded in legends and myths, from there being an ancient civilization buried underneath, to the mountain being the home of a legendary pokémon. There's no evidence to support either of these claims, however there are even modern day rumors of strange events that happen occasionally on the mountain. Mount Luceria's summit is about two and a half miles, or thirteen thousand feet, in height. Because of this, the summit is covered in snow during most parts of the year.

 _ **Tarrin Island** : _The main island making up the Asceros Region. The island is roughly two hundred and sixty-four miles wide and five hundred miles in length.


End file.
